Nat Young and Billy Stairmand display superb form in Round 2 of The Australian Open of Surfing
America’s Nat Young prevailed in the sixth heat, while New Zealand’s Billy Stairmand clinched top honours in the seventh heat of the 6-Star Australian of Surfing’s Round 2 (Round of 96) that went down at Manly Beach in New South Wales, Australia, on Thursday,
February 16.
With two-foot waves on offer at the primary event site, the opportunity was there for the surfers to put on solid performances to stay alive in the contention for the event title. The absence of wind and sunny weather made the conditions even more ideal
for an exciting day of surfing.
California’s Young proved wiser beyond his years as he down three surfers who had more local knowledge of the waves than him. He left the crowd in awe with a perfect-10 off a juicy wave that appeared early in the heat. Following it up immediately with a
6.67-point wave, he finished with a heat-total of 16.67 points. The score turned out to be decisive and carried him through into the next round.
Taylor had no intention of letting his American rival walk away with an easy win and thus put on a determined challenge. However his efforts remained futile as he finished behind Young with a heat-total of 14.77 points, which comprised of a 7.77 and 7.00-point
wave. The runner-up finish was still enough to get him into the next round as well.
Tim Macdonald finished in third place with a heat-total of 12.80 points, while Alexandre Chacon rounded out the bottom position with a two-wave total of 10.27 points. Both the surfers failed to make the Round 3 cut and consequently got eliminated from the
competition.
In the next heat, New Zealand’s Stairmand prevailed over his rivals despite looking a little shaky during the early stages of the battle. He posted a 6.67 on the score-board off his first business-wave and managed to add an 8.20 to his account just in time
to finish with a heat-total of 14.87 points. The score served to earn him top honours and carry him through to Round 3 (Round of 48)
Australia’s James Taipan Wood collected a couple of decent scores off his final-two waves to finish with a heat-total of 12.74 points and thus accompanied Stairmand to the next round.
Hawaii’s Keala Naihe and New Zealand’s Richard Christie finished with a heat-total of 7.50 and 6.76 respectively, consequently getting eliminated from the competition.
The Australian Open of Surfing still had plenty of thrilling action in store for the surfing fans that were in attendance at Manly Beach on Thursday.
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